China and the U.S. are negotiating the return of a U.S. undersea drone seized in the South China Sea last week. WSJ's Paul Sonne has the latest details on Lunch Break with Tanya Rivero. Photo: European Pressphoto Agency

BEIJING—China’s Foreign Ministry said Monday that military officials are in touch with the U.S. over the return of an American undersea drone and dismissed President-elect Donald Trump’s criticism of the Chinese navy’s seizure of the device.

Hewing to statements issued over the weekend by China’s Defense Ministry, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying described Thursday’s seizure as an effort by the Chinese navy to “prevent harm”...